Frozen Ground Beef in the Instant Pot is a fast and convenient way to thaw and cook a frozen block of ground beef. Use your pressure cooker to quickly cook frozen hamburger meat. Have cooked ground beef ready for your recipe!
Frozen Ground Beef in the Instant Pot
There are several Instant Pot® hacks that I really like. This is one of them. If you have ever forgotten to thaw out your pound of hamburger meat, and had your dinner plans messed up, then this hack is for you!
This method of cooking ground beef from frozen works with up to 2 ponds of meat (that I have tested so far). Go ahead and try it with more if you need to, though it may overcook the edges.
Helpful tips for cooking frozen ground beef in the Instant pot
- Before you freeze the meat, remove the plastic pad thing on the bottom. They are a pain to take off while frozen!
- Use the trivet. Unless you want to boil the hamburger meat, set it on the trivet, up out of the water.
- Natural Release for a few minutes to help the meat retain more moisture.
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If you don’t already have a trivet with handles, here is a good one: Steamer Rack Trivet with Heat Resistant Silicone Handles (affiliate).
See my Instant Pot Accessories post for more ideas!
Does this work with frozen ground turkey?
Yes it does! It is important to check the internal temperature if you are not going to cook it further after using this method. It should be 165° F.
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Watch the video to see how easy it is to cook frozen ground beef in the Instant Pot!
The Instant Pot is a fast and convenient way to thaw and cook a frozen block of ground beef. Use your pressure cooker to quickly cook frozen hamburger meat and have cooked ground beef ready for your recipe!
- 1 cup Water (for the pot)
- 1-2 lbs Frozen Ground Beef
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Place the trivet in the pot and add the water.
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Place the frozen block of ground beef on the trivet.
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Close the lid and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
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Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button or dial, then the +/- button or dial to select cook time in minutes. High Pressure. The pot will take several minutes to come to pressure.
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For 1 lb of meat, cook for 20 minutes, for 2 lbs cook for 23 minutes. In some cases, the meat may not cook all the way through, but will be thawed and you can sauté it if you need it fully cooked.
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When the cook cycle has finished, turn off the pot and let it sit undisturbed for 5 minutes (5 minute natural release). Then turn the steam release knob to the Venting position to release the remaining steam/pressure.
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When the pin in the lid drops back down, open the lid.
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Remove the trivet with the cooked meat on it and move the meat to a plate. The meat will stay in the shape of a block.
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Use a fork or chopper/stirrer utensil to break up the meat.
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Now you can use the meat in your recipe!
RESOURCES TO MAKE this recipe and more
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Kaye M.
I have frozen my 1 lb of ground beef in quarter lb portions. How long should I cook one of the portions in my 3 quart?
Sandy
Try 10 minutes with a 10 minute natural release.
Natalie
Such a great hack! I use this to cook my frozen solid blocks of local beef packed in plastic by my butcher. It always takes so long to defrost, and I frequently forget to take it out of the freezer ahead of time. This is a major timesaver!
Ely
It worked out well! Thank you for saving our dinner today
Jennifer
I’m cooking the hamburger for a soup recipe that also calls for onion. Can I put the uncooked onion in while the meat is cooking or would that overcook them?
Sandy
It will depend on how large you cut the pieces. Larger, thicker pieces will hold up better than diced.
Nettie
I like this method and used my food processor for a slightly more uniform texture. Thanks for posting!
Phyllis
Love your IP recipes. Will definitely look forward to seeing you and more of your recipes.
Vicki W.
Can you cook hamburger that is not frozen like this if you form it into a meatloaf like shape. If you can, how long would it take to cook 2 – 3 pounds?
Sandy
Yes, If you want to make a meatloaf, I have a recipe here: Instant Pot Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes. If you just want to cook the thawed meat, you can do that, though I haven’t. I would say for 2 lbs try the same time as the frozen. For 1 lb, cut the time by 10 minutes and see how that works. You can always ad more time if you need it.
Chuck
I like this idea, but I think I would slightly under cook by a minute or two so I could brown the meat in a cast iron pan for that Maillard reaction tastiness and maybe throw in some spices. Beats thawing in the fridge or my usual: in the bag submerged in cold water (which takes about an hour or so but then you still have to cook the meat).
Sandy
That’s a great idea, Chuck!
Gail
It really works! I love this. I made your taco pie recipe with the cooked meat. That was so good!
Sandy
Isn’t this a great hack?! I’m happy it worked for you, and that you like my Taco Pie recipe!